Abstract
BACKGROUND: Traditional herbs played a crucial role in the health care of the Hakka people. However, studies to identify these traditional herbs are few. Here we document and assess the potential of these plants for treating microbial infections. Many herbs used by the Hakka people could potentially be a novel medicinal resource. METHODS: Local herb markets were surveyed via semi-structured interviews, complemented by direct observations to obtain information on herbal usage. For each herb selected for this study, extracts in four different solvents were prepared, and tested for activity against 20 microorganisms, as well as cancerous and noncancerous cells. All data were subjected to cluster analysis to discover relationships among herbs, plant types, administration forms, solvents, microorganisms, cells, etc., with the aim to discern promising herbs for medicine. RESULTS: Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families; most are used for bathing (97%), or as food, such as tea (32%), soup (12%), etc. Compared with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Chinese Materia Medica, 24 Hakka medicines use different plant parts, and 5 plants are recorded here for the first time as traditional medicines. The plant parts used were closely related with the life cycle: annual and perennial herbs were normally used as a whole plant, and woody plants as (tender) stem and leaf, indicating a trend to use the parts that are easily collected. Encouragingly, 311 extracts (94%) were active against one or more microorganisms. Most herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (67%), Listeria innocua (64%), etc. Cytotoxicity was often observed against a tumor cell, but rarely against normal cells. Considering both antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity, many herbs reported in this study show promise as medicine. CONCLUSION: Hakka people commonly use easily-collected plant parts (aerial parts or entire herb) as medicine. External use of decoctions dominated, and may help combating microbial infections. The results offer promising perspectives for further research since little phytopharmacology and phytochemistry has been published to date.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
93 Hakka plant species in 62 families were documented in Ganzhou.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
Claim · model-written summary
Hakka herbs were used for bathing in 97% of cases.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e1“most are used for bathing (97%), or as food, such as tea (32%), soup (12%), etc.”
Claim · model-written summary
Hakka herbs were used as food such as tea in 32% of cases.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e1“most are used for bathing (97%), or as food, such as tea (32%), soup (12%), etc.”
Claim · model-written summary
Hakka herbs were used as soup in 12% of cases.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e1“most are used for bathing (97%), or as food, such as tea (32%), soup (12%), etc.”
Claim · model-written summary
24 Hakka medicines use plant parts differently from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Chinese Materia Medica.
Verbatim
e2“Compared with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Chinese Materia Medica, 24 Hakka medicines use different plant parts, and 5 plants are recorded here for the first time as traditional medicines”
Claim · model-written summary
5 Hakka plants are recorded for the first time as traditional medicines.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e2“Compared with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Chinese Materia Medica, 24 Hakka medicines use different plant parts, and 5 plants are recorded here for the first time as traditional medicines”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual and perennial herbs were normally used as a whole plant.
Verbatim
e3“The plant parts used were closely related with the life cycle: annual and perennial herbs were normally used as a whole plant, and woody plants as (tender) stem and leaf”
Claim · model-written summary
Woody plants were used as (tender) stem and leaf.
Verbatim
e3“The plant parts used were closely related with the life cycle: annual and perennial herbs were normally used as a whole plant, and woody plants as (tender) stem and leaf”
Claim · model-written summary
94% of Hakka herb extracts were active against one or more microorganisms.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e4“Encouragingly, 311 extracts (94%) were active against one or more microorganisms”
Claim · model-written summary
Most Hakka herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteria.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e5“Most herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (67%), Listeria innocua (64%), etc.”
Claim · model-written summary
Most Hakka herbs were active against Staphylococcus aureus in 67% of cases.
- Taxon
- Hakka herbse0
- Interactor
- Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureuse5other - Outcome
- Most herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteriae5
- Value
- 67%e5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e5“Most herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (67%), Listeria innocua (64%), etc.”
Claim · model-written summary
Most Hakka herbs were active against Listeria innocua in 64% of cases.
- Taxon
- Hakka herbse0
- Interactor
- Listeria innocuaListeria innocuae5other
- Outcome
- Most herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteriae5
- Value
- 64%e5
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e5“Most herbs were active against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (67%), Listeria innocua (64%), etc.”
Claim · model-written summary
Hakka herb extracts showed cytotoxicity often against tumour cells but rarely against normal cells.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e6“Cytotoxicity was often observed against a tumor cell, but rarely against normal cells”
Claim · model-written summary
Many herbs reported in the study show promise as medicine, considering antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity.
Verbatim
e7“Considering both antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity, many herbs reported in this study show promise as medicine”
Claim · model-written summary
External use of decoctions dominated Hakka herbal medicine use.
Verbatim
e0“Ninety-seven Hakka herbs in Ganzhou were documented from 93 plants in 62 families”
e5“External use of decoctions dominated”